A big whack and fries, please: Police investigate after drunk pranksters film themselves hitting McDonald’s staff with giant foam tubes
Two drunk teenagers have been filmed attacking staff in a McDonalds with foam tubes.
A 90-second clip, which has clocked up more than 12,000 views on Facebook, shows Ben Hall and Joel Melia hitting two female employees before being chased out of the fast food restaurant.
The video, which was recorded by one of their friends has gone viral, being shared by 8,000 people, and prompting over 3,000 comments.
But the unrepentant teens from Burnley in Lancashire have refused to apologise for their behaviour despite police confirming they were investigating reports of an assault.
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Ben Hall and Joel Melia enter Burnley McDonalds with large foam fingers before play fighting on the floor
Immediately after the video was posted the pair were the first to comment both adding several laughing smiley faces and the words ‘Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha’.
Ben Hall, an apprentice electrician, said the trio had visited the Burnley branch of McDonalds last weekend at 7am after spending all night on a drinking binge.
He admitted to being drunk in the video but claimed the member of staff ‘over-reacted’ when she was hit.
The 18-year-old said: ‘We had more than a few. On the way up to McDonald’s we found some scaffolding safety foam and thought it’d be funny to have a fight with them and it just carried on in McDonald’s.
‘We thought we’d involve the staff but I don’t think they were too impressed.’
The video shows Mr Hall and Mr Melia, a promising young footballer, enter the store brandishing the foam, first accosting a customer who is leaving the restaurant.
He is heard to tell them to: ‘Turn round and go and get yourselves some McMuffins.’
The lads then wrestle with each other on the floor and a voice off camera can be heard saying: ‘These McDonald’s staff are mugging you off.’
They then turn their attention to the staff and attempt to go behind the counter but are stopped by two female employees. One woman is hit on the head by Mr Melia, and is then struck again between her legs.
She tells them: ‘Don’t be hitting me with that again. Get out,’ before ordering them to stop filming without permission.
The two continue to brandish their foam tubes while the employee shouts at them
Eventually, the woman manages to chase the pranksters out of the restaurant – with them running away
She then chases them out onto the street and is clearly heard shouting: ‘Leave the fu**ing store now.’
The unnamed staff member continues to remonstrate with the teenagers outside while they carry on hitting her with the foam. Another employee is heard calling the police before the clip ends
Asked if he wished to apologise, Mr Hall said: ‘Not even a tiny bit. It was harmless fun and nobody got hurt so I don’t think I should feel bad.’
He added: ‘She threatened us back so we’re equal.’
Mr Melia, who is a footballer with North West Counties Football League Premier Division side Barnoldswick Town, and an apprentice bricklayer described the episode as ‘a piece of fun’.
The 19 year old said: ‘I won’t apologise. We were just messing about. I think she over-reacted if anything. There was no need for her to get on like she did.
‘The police spoke to us outside and just sent us on our way.’
The reaction to the pair’s antics have had a mixed reaction online. Sheri Gorman posted: ‘Talk about immature, you want to grow up!’
And Peter Thomas added: ‘If our police force is any good these two idiots will be arrested for threatening behaviour. Assault. And public order.
Ellisa Marshall said: ‘So immature the girl is only trying to earn some money don’t deserve that abuse. Then again she could have just laughed it off’
Other Facebook users found the incident harmless and said the language used by the staff member wasn’t acceptable
Brian Berg wrote: ‘Calm down, they are just having fun, not hurting anyone.’
Simmone Youngson posted: ‘Language from the staff is terrible,’ and Christine Brown said: ‘Really badly handled by the staff. They weren’t doing that much harm why the over reaction ??’
Burnley business leader Brian Hobbs said the prank, which targeted staff as they worked, was ‘abhorrent’.
Mr Hobbs, president of Burnley Chamber of Trade, said: ‘It’s ludicrous. I find it absolutely abhorrent that people think this is ok.
‘Unfortunately, what seems like a bit of a laugh with alcohol on board isn’t nice for those on the receiving end.
‘Clearly it’s the alcohol that is the problem in this case. Even if it was intended as a bit of fun, it can be extremely intimidating for the staff.
‘I absolutely condemn this behaviour. I would question why these drunken idiots even need to be out at 7am.’
Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle said: ‘It might be fun for them but it certainly isn’t for the people on the receiving end.
‘You expect people to treat the staff with the respect they deserve. If the staff had reacted, they would have got the sack so why do these lads think this is acceptable?
‘They are purely doing their job. Nobody goes to work to be attacked.’
Coun Shah Hussain, for the Daneshouse with Stoneyholme ward where the incident happened, said: ‘I wouldn’t tolerate that either if I was a member of staff and it happened to me. I would feel aggrieved and people shouldn’t have to put up with it at work.
‘Filming this sort of thing and putting it on Facebook seems to be some sort of craze at the moment and it isn’t good. It might be harmless fun to those that are doing it but it is not to the victim.
‘I hope the police take a harsh approach to it and send a message out.’
Police confirmed they were investigating the incident, which happened at 6.55am last Saturday, but said that no arrests had been made.
A spokeswoman for McDonald’s said: ‘We can confirm that an incident took place and the police were contacted.’
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